Online gambling is big business these days. Almost every imaginable casino game is available online, including craps. So, is it better to play online or at a live casino? It’s a matter of preference.

Live casinos offer the most excitement. A hot roll online just isn’t the same as at a live craps table with 15 other players. When the dice are hot, everyone screams, laughs, and high-fives. When the dice are cold, everyone feels miserable with you so others share in your anxiety. When playing online, you usually play alone where there’s no one to share in your emotional rollercoaster. If you’re a loner and can’t stand being around people, then you’ll probably enjoy playing online. I know a lot of people who avoid playing live craps for that very reason. They’d rather sit like a brain-dead zombie in front of a video blackjack machine because they prefer being alone.

Playing online craps is a much quicker game than at a live casino. The bets online seem to fly from one to the next, which means you can lose your bankroll a lot quicker than in a live casino. Craps play at a live casino is much slower. Dealers can be slow when paying or taking down bets. Shooters who think they have some bogus talent of controlling the dice can take what seems like forever to roll the dice. Before every throw, they go through their silly routine of finding the right dice orientation, finger grip, finger pressure, and other idiotic habits before they go through their weird gyration of actually tossing the dice. The good thing about the slowness of a live craps table is that it takes much longer to lose your bankroll. However, when things get bogged down, it’s common to hear people complain, “Hurry up and shoot!” or “Why is this dealer so slow?”

A positive aspect of online craps is that you can play in your own home at any time. You don’t have to fly to Vegas or drive an hour wasting $15 worth of gas. You can sit and play in your pajamas if you like. If you feel like playing only a few rolls during halftime, you can quickly login and play, then logout, and be back in your chair for the second-half kickoff.

Most online casinos allow you to preview their games before playing for real money. If you don’t like the graphics, sounds, speed, or anything about their game, you can logout and try another online casino. Some online casinos have graphics and sound so technically advanced that it’s easy to imagine you’re playing at a live casino. Most online casinos also give you a free-play “bonus,” but you can’t cash-out that bonus until you meet the required minimum playing time or betting amount.

Playing online craps means you accept the fact that you’re using a computer with a programmed random-number generator. This fact has always made me a bit leery about playing online. I prefer the natural randomness of live dice rolls instead of a computer making the decision. I always have the suspicion in the back of my head that the online game is somehow fixed. I don’t have any proof to back up that suspicion and my suspicion may be completely unfounded and unwarranted, but it’s still in the back of my head nonetheless.

So, which is better, playing craps online or at a live casino? It’s entirely up to you. Some people prefer playing online, others prefer a live table. The only way you’ll know which you like better is to play both and decide for yourself.

By William Enslen Jr
W. Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed casino craps for 30 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new Ebook, which you can sample at Learn to Play Casino Craps. Be smart, play smart, and learn to play casino craps in reality instead of a Fantasyland of false hope.